Adam@Home by Rob Harrell for September 29, 2015

I still prefer real books.

So far, our local (non-chain) stores are doing fine. But they definitely have to constantly reinvent themselves.

Adam if your wife won’t have her income any more you wouldn’t be able to buy the treats anyway :p

I got two words for you, Doc. Half.com and abebooks.com. Even after paying for shipping the books are great bargains.

The could do away with the bookstore part and just expand the cafe! But really, bookstores like Barnes and Noble seem to be holding up OK. So it really appears that there are enough people still buying books.

I’m house sitting a house with a book shelf full of old and interesting sounding books. But I’ve been warned, “those are old and will fall apart if you try to take them out of the shelf.” Argh! Trapped in a house full of books I can read!

Went to my favorite haunt (Barnes & Noble) yesterday for coffee, blueberry muffin and several hours of browsing through the latest math books. I was in a position to observe the book checkout counter and, it seemed to me, that no one purchased any reading material (books, mags, etc.) The cafeteria, however, did a thriving business. I love Barnes & Noble but, sadly, their days are numbered. Probably due, in a large part, to people like me who drink coffee and browse.

I’m re-reading all my books and bringing them to Savers. Then it will only be ebooks. It will be a while as I have over 100.

As Night-Gaunt says, it is sad but true. Also, Barnes and Noble are closing stores, along with many independents. Here is a letter to the editor I wrote a while back:

Barnes & Noble Closing

A recent letter from Rosemount resident, (name withheld) was well written and made a strong case for retaining this important store in the community. She pointed out “many people regularly go there to study, write, or work” and “this is one place you can come to relax. Parents bring their children here for story time. Teens study together. Friends catch up over a cup of coffee.”

All of these are valid concerns; unfortunately, they do not touch on the real reason this store, and others like it are closing. Studying, writing, working, relaxing, etc. do not pay the bills. This is a bookstore, and the sale of books, magazines, and other related items pays the rent, the taxes, the salaries, and a myriad of other expenses that go into maintaining this business, or any business for that matter.

If folks really want to keep this store alive and thriving, they need to buy the products they sell. If they go to the internet and buy their printed materials, it does little if anything to help a local business survive! If it is a small business, think before you drive to the giant “box store” to save 25 cents on a 10 dollar purchase! I spent most of my adult life in a retail small business, and did everything I could to be competitive; but it wasn’t easy. You do need to keep your customers spending their money at your place of business instead of going elsewhere. In no way am I suggesting (name withheld) does not support this business, and I certainly hope she and her friends do. We just need more like her to do the same.

E-reader and e-book sales are down. Books are coming back, folks. I have a variety of devices that I can read books on, but I read really real, old school books every day.

I’ve seen more than one article recently that ebook sales are dropping, and that the numbers of independent bookstores are increasing a bit.

Check out paperback book swap.

I have gone mostly to ebooks just because I am 72 and I can make ALL my books large print. Also I tend to wake up in the middle of the night, and with the ereader, I can read in bed without waking my husband by turning on a light. Did I mention that my husband has a master’s degree in library service? Yep I married a librarian.

Yeah it’s too bad that e-readers are so useful and amazing and that they keep people interested in reading. Gosh, that’s just terrible.

He’s more concerned about the food than for his lifestyle change? He may have to join the workforce!

I love my paperbacks also and luckily I have a nice 500 book collection.